Vestas closed the UK's only wind turbine blade factories, on the Isle of Wight, in August 2009. Workers occupied the factory, then picketed. This blog is a history of that dispute and of the ongoing campaign for green jobs.

Politicians support

I give support and solidarity from me and Councillor Dave Nellist, independently elected socialist councillors. I have personally visited the occupation twice, once sleeping out in the open on the traffic island camp and the week-end after as well speaking at the rally and talking to other party members in our area who came down on both the first court date and the eviction date, an injury to one of us is an injury to us all whether in the Isle of Wight or Warwickshire.

In addition to this we have had a vestas speaker visit our city and will continue to build solidarity as this battle is not over, the blades and equipment have yet to be moved-we pledge further physical support if necesary plus building support in the wider trades union movement to put pressure on the TUC to push for the plant to be nationalised. It should be a nationalised Victory Blades and, not only should it be run by workers in the Island, but Workers from the plant should stand against the rotten and politically bankrupt Tory MP who has let the workers and the Island down and against the new labour governmenmt who sat hand wringing when they should have been nationalising.
Yours In Solidarity,
– Councillor Rob Windsor, Socialist Party Group, St Michaels Ward, Coventry City Council

I am sending support to Vestas on behalf of the 6 Green party Stroud District councillors – the government found millions for the car industry and the banks; now it’s time for them to invest just a fraction of that in saving this factory, the 600 jobs, and our hopes of developing viable low-carbon energy. Huge thanks for this fight to all those participating.
– Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District councillor for the Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward

Philip Booth, Stroud Green councillor

I write in solidarity with the action you are taking to save the Vestas wind turbine factory. The climate crisis tells us that yours is an industry which has to form a big part of our future, and it makes no sense to be importing wind turbines into the UK. We should be expanding wind turbine manufacturing. Your example shows the sheer senselessness of our capitalist system.
I’r achos
– Leanne Wood AM, Member of the National Assembly for Wales and Plaid Cymru’s sustainability spokesperson

I wish to express my solidarity with your occupation and campaign to save Vestas. The disgusting attempts of Vestas to force you out through starvation, intimidation and injunctions demonstrate that you are having a significant impact.
Your struggle is an inspiration to me and to socialists and activists across the world. In Ireland, hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs in the last months as the burden for the economic crisis is heaped onto working people. It is largely the same the world over.
Your determined occupation provides a vital lesson for those faced with similar factory closures. By occupying you have prevented the factory being shut and have created the necessary conditions for a potential historic victory.
Similarly the call for the nationalisation of Vestas is crucial in my opinion. If the governments of the world can afford to bail out the banks, why can Vestas workers and others in similar situations not be bailed out?
Your struggle is a vital one for workers not only in Britain, but across Europe and indeed the world. A victory would be a massive inspiration and lesson to those who campaign against climate change and the millions who face redundancy.
Let me know of any way I can be of help.
– Joe Higgins MEP, Socialist Party in Ireland (sister party of the Socialist Party England and Wales)

I give my full support to the workers at Vestas in their struggle to keep their workplace open and the RMT trade union that is helping them. The management of Vestas have treated their staff appallingly. The UK’s only wind turbine plant must not be allowed to close. The Government must work with Vestas staff to come up with creative solutions to save their jobs. We desperately need to preserve these skills and all possible alternatives should be considered; including establishing a co-operative or mutual organisation that can start making wind turbines for the UK market.
– Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion

Thanks very much for … raising a very important issue. I agree with you entirely.

– Paul Rowen, MP for Rochdale:

Climate Change remains one of the greatest threats facing us. We need to refocus to renewables and it is outrageous that Vestas jobs are under threat. I fully support the workers’ campaign to protect jobs and the continuing production of wind turbines at Vestas. The Government must take action to ensure continued production.
– Katy Clark MP

Dear Comrades: I send my full support to save your jobs and preserve the capacity you have to make Wind Turbines in Britain. Yours is a really important industrial facility with an strong environmental role.
In Unity – Tony Benn

The critical significance of the Vestas campaign is that it is a fight to save the jobs of workers who are at the forefront of our struggle to save the planet. It is sheer lunacy to allow this skilled workforce to be cast aside when they are so desperately needed in our drive for renewable energy sources. The Government must intervene to save these essential jobs.
– John McDonnell, MP

We should be seizing the opportunity to create a renewable energy revolution…The Government can make a genuine start along this road by pledging to keep the isle of Wight’s Vestas plant open for business.
– Dr Caroline Lucas, Green Party Leader and Euro-MP for the Isle of Wight and the South East.

Jean Lambert MEP said:
“If the Government stands idly by and fails to save the Vestas factory it will be abandoning its responsibilities on two counts: first, in the immediate term, allowing the loss of 600 jobs in a time of deep recession. Second, in the longer term, failing to commit to the green manufacturing and energy which are vital if we are to stand any chance of fighting the threat of climate change. This double dereliction of duties would prove that the Government’s green talk is nothing more than windy rhetoric. We can no longer afford empty promises.
“We must not forget that long before the economic crisis, we faced a global environmental crisis. Now, as we face both disasters, the Vestas factory is a real beacon of hope: a model for the way in which Britain’s manufacturing industry could be positively and sustainably rebuilt to provide proven, environmentally-sound energy sources for the future.
“I fully support the actions of the workers and urge people to lend their voices to this vital campaign to save these jobs, and save the planet too.”

Climate change is a desperate threat to humankind. The idea that the Government will stand aside and let Vestas close is madness. They seem committed to giving billions to bail out bankers, but nothing to save the jobs of working men and women or promote environmental projects and companies.
- Councillor Michael Lavalette , Preston City Council

Please accept my support, and allow me to express my outrage at the distressing and ridiculous situation you find yourself in. There is clearly no way that renewable energy production should be reduced, whatever the current economic environment. You will have my support whatever measures you chose to take to oppose redundancy and closure.
- Matt Sellwood, Green Party Parliamentary Candidate, Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Thank you for raising this protest: we will never halt climate change without wind power. We need dozens of wind turbine plants, not none. All power to you.
– Sandra Billington, Membership Secretary, Glasgow Green Party branch.

A government which has put out £1100 billion in cash, credit, and guarantees for the banks is refusing to do the obvious and take over the Vestas factories so that production can continue under new management, accountable to the workers and concerned for the environment rather than maximum profits. The campaign in the labour movement for solidarity with the Vestas workers should be linked to a campaign to reshape the labour movement politically so that we can win a workers’ government.
– Jill Mountford, Workers’ Liberty prospective candidate for Camberwell and Peckham (Harriet Harman’s constituency) in the coming general election.

These Jobs matter, for the workers, but they matter more for the planet. We can halt climate change, but that will take masses of investment in wind and renewable energy. Time is short. A Government that won’t save this plant isn’t serious about our planet. Gordon Brown must act now.
– Jonathon Neale, International Secretary, Campaign Against Climate Change.

I cannot believe that the government can allow this to happen when there is an opportunity to save jobs and help save the planet.
– Steven Ludlam, Senior lecturer in Politics, University of Sheffield

The members of PCS East Hants and Isle of Wight Branch and PCS West Hants Branch send their support and solidarity to the workers at Vestas. What lunacy to close the factory, making over 500 workers redundant and to lose the manufacture of the blades produced there. The government can pour billions into saving financial institutions yet unwilling to step in and save Vestas. We are willing to help in any way stop this closure and secure a future for the workers and alternative energy.

We strongly support your campaign to prevent the closure of this most important workplace. When the Governments and big businesses say they can’t afford to prevent the deterioration of the planet they are talking rubbish. If they can afford big bonuses they can afford to save your jobs and the planet.

You need to mount the strongest possible campaign and prevent them from closing this down. You guys know how to run the place better than the bosses-show them how to do it. You will not be alone-you will be suprised by the amount of support you have around the world.

We occupied our Principals office for 3 days to demand an end to the racist deportations that had happened at our university. We won most of our demands. We will not have them treating our workmates like criminals. They were happy for them to work without checking their visas when they were working for crap money but as soon as they fight back they get scared and try to imitimidate us. We will not be intimidated.

We strongly support your campaign to prevent the closure of this most important workplace. When the Governments and big businesses say they can’t afford to prevent the deterioration of the planet they are talking rubbish. If they can afford big bonuses they can afford to save your jobs and the planet.

You need to mount the strongest possible campaign and prevent them from closing this down. You guys know how to run the place better than the bosses-show them how to do it. You will not be alone-you will be suprised by the amount of support you have around the world.

We occupied our Principals office for 3 days to demand an end to the racist deportations that had happened at our university. We won most of our demands. We will not have them treating our workmates like criminals. They were happy for them to work without checking their visas when they were working for crap money but as soon as they fight back they get scared and try to imitimidate us. We will not be intimidated.

I sent a message to the email address last week, but thought i would post it here too.

Solidarity from supporters of Workers Liberty in the northeast. You’re struggle must be supported by socialists and trade unionists in this country and abroad. While Labour and the Tories compete to be more green and more concerned about defeating global warming, they take no action to support you when the very future of wind power is being undermined. If they can nationalise the banks they can nationalise Vestas. If Vestas who are made massive profits last year want to take away your jobs then hold onto the machinery! Occupy the factory and work with others to support workers control. Whatever action we can do from the other side of the country we will. I will raise this with more union branch and already got support from a 60 strong meeting of the Tyneside Socialist Forum last week, this was the first most of them had heard of the dispute, but the word is spreading fast up here.

Hi all. At vestas. I met Mark at the Ideas for Freedom (Workers Liberty) event in London last weekend.

At our Tyneside Socialist Forum meeting on Wednesday over 50 people agreed to send messages of solidarity to you at Vestas. We are not near enough (being the other end of the country) to support you in person. But if there is anything we can do let me know

It was inspiring to hear of your occupation.These are tactics that can and will win.You are fighting for the future of the planet as well as your own jobs . Our job is to raise solidarity with you across the country and especially in out trade union branches

A World to Win organisation fully supports your occupation to prevent the closure of your factory. We need a strategy whereby workers everywhere take control over their workplaces, their lives and who is making the economic, ecological and political decisions.

This is from Hugo Blanco, he is editor of Indigenous Struggle in Peru and led an uprising in 1961 in Peru….passing it on, he and I have sent you emails…but I thought important to get this up to show people across the world are supporting you fight

Anders Svenson, a leader of the Fourth International in Sweden and one of the country’s most-read political bloggers, has published this report of a solidarity protest in Malmö. Below is our uncorrected translation.

Demonstration against redundancies at Vestas Northern European headquarters in Malmö.

The Danish wind company Vestas factory in Newport, Isle of Wight, has been occupied by around 30 workers since Monday in protest at the redundancies of 625 employees. The company is planning layoffs even though the company, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines, is a profitable enterprise. Indeed, sales have increased by 59% last quarter. This fact, combined with an immediate and urgent climate crisis, makes the decision to close completely unacceptable. Society should on the contrary support and encourage the expansion of wind power.

Over the world, in Sweden as well as in England, business want to make cuts and kick the workers, the same workers who created the wealth that gives the capitalists their ‘good life’ and who will not tolerate the crisis as an excuse to destroy human life.

We also can not accept the British police’s conduct, which has blocked the area around the factory and in that way trying to starve out the occupiers.In Sweden we have also seen similar tactics from the police who engage in labour disputes, most recently in the wild strike against the law, but previously often against union leaders. The police should simply stay out of union conflicts!

But other employees as well as sympathizers, in particular from the environmental movement, has not accepted this, and forced the police roadblocks to get food to the squatters. That can only be applauded.

The workers at Vestas want to keep their jobs and also believe that if you are serious about climate threat, renewable energy and the environment, it is unreasonable to close the factory. And in England, environmental activists responded to their arguments and joined the workers’ side.

Socialist Resistance welcomes the courage and decisiveness of the workers at Vestas Blades. Your actions challenge the hypocrisy of the government – and the myth that the hidden hand of the market will spread renewable energy. As Germany shows, the only guarantee for wind power is for trade union members and environmental campaigners to fight for state action: its Renewable Energy Act has produced more than 100,000 jobs.

Together with other supporters of the Respect party, other trades unionists, other members of the Campaign against Climate Change and our comrades in the Fourth International, the Green Left and elsewhere on the left, we are spreading the call for solidarity in Hampshire, England and worldwide.

These greetings were sent by Socialist Resistance to the workers’ occupation in Newport early on January 21st.

The government tell us they will create 400,000 “green” sector jobs by 2015….great start, minus 600!!!!!

The government tell us they wish to install at least 7,000 wind turbines to achieve the 15% renewable energy targets by 2020…where will the turbines comes from? Abroad!!

Blatant hypocrisy! The government talk the talk but when the it comes to real action are nowhere to be seen.

Interesting that certain TV news bulletins appear to place Steven Gerrards behaviour in a pub, higher up the news scale than a wind turbine company shedding 600 jobs!!!!

Step up to the breach, UK government, and facilitate the saving of this factory and its employees jobs. After all you can save the greedy bankers to the tune of billions. You can underwrite loans to the car industry (a pollutant) to the tune of billions, so let go a few million and do the right thing and save this situation.
You either are committed to saving the planet or not. Staying away from this scenario tells us all you’re not committed.

Total Government hypocracy, that must be shown up for the whitewash that it is.
They can’t live this one down if they don’t toe the line.
They’ve had their own way for much too long, and the time has come when they have to stop hoodwinking the people for their own ends.
This resistance can be a winner, and can change the views of the masses forever.
KEEP IT UP AND WIN !!!!!!!!

I’m afraid until people STOP protesting against wind turbines we cannot support a wind turbine industry in the UK.

That said we should view renewable energy as a national strategic resource and UK companies should be funded to invest more in it. Its cheaper than paying dole money and you never know.. people like Andrew Turner (Conservative MP) might start to show some real support and stop blocking every application that comes before them!!!!!

What we're fighting for

Vestas Blades UK made production workers at their factories on the Isle of Wight redundant on 12 August 2009. More than 500 jobs were lost. Many more jobs that depend on Vestas will follow. This makes no sense from a green or a labour perspective!

At the same time, the government announced a major expansion of renewable energy including wind power. We are calling on the government to intervene to save jobs at companies like Vestas - through nationalisation if that is what it takes - to show that it is serious about saving the planet.

Actions & meetings

Wednesday 17 February

NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT 7pm, Save Our Services public meeting, called by Unison, but open to all who want to campaign against the proposed cuts to council and all jobs and services. Venue: Hunnyhill Room, The Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight.